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Communication Types of Communication: Eye Contact
Communication Types of Communication: Eye Contact
E 105
Types of Communication
Verbal Communication-
Non-verbal communication includes eye contact, hand movements, facial expressions, touch, gestures,
etc. Non-verbal communication is different from person to person and especially from one culture to
another. Cultural background defines their non-verbal communication as many forms of non-verbal
communications like signs and signals are learned behavior.
Eye Contact
Western cultures mostly consider eye contact to be a good gesture. It shows attentiveness, confidence and
honesty. Other cultures such as Asian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic and Native American do not take it as a
good expression. It is taken as a rude and offensive expression.
Unlike in Western cultures taking it as respectful, other do not consider it that way. In Eastern cultures
women should especially not have eye contact with men as it shows power or sexual interest. In some
cultures, whereas, gazes are taken as a way of expression. Staring is taken as rude in most cultures.
Gestures
Gestures such as thumbs up can be interpreted differently in different cultures. It is taken as “Okay” sign
in many cultures whereas is taken as a vulgarism in others like Latin American cultures and in Japan
some even take it as money.
Some cultures take snapping fingers to get the attention of a waiter as alright whereas some take it as
disrespect and very offensive. Showing feet is taken as offensive in some Middle Eastern cultures. Some
cultures take pointing fingers as insulting too. In Polynesia, people stick out their tongue to greet people
which is taken as a sign of mockery in most of other cultures.
Touch
Touches are taken as rudeness in most cultures. Shaking hands is considered to be acceptable in many.
Similarly, acceptability of kissing, hugs, and many other touches are different in different cultures. People
in Asia are more conservative in these types of non-verbal communication.
Patting head or shoulder also has different meanings in different cultures. In some Asian cultures patting
children’s head is very bad signal as head is taken to be sacred. Middle Eastern countries take touch
between people from opposite genders is taken as bad character.
Where and how you are touched or touch changes the meaning of touch. So, you must be careful when
you visit a new place.
Appearance
Appearance is another form of non-verbal communication. People are judged from their appearance.
Racial differences as well as differences in clothing tell so much about any individual.
Grooming yourself to look good is taken as an important aspect of personality in most cultures. But, what
is considered to be a good appearance is different again in different cultures. Modesty is also measured
from appearance.
People receive information or message from body movements. It shows how people feel or think about
you. If a person does not face you while talking to you can mean that the person is nervous or shy. It
might also mean that the person doesn’t like to talk to you. Other body movements like coming to sit near
or far can also show confidence, power or trying to control the environment.
Postures like sitting straight or slouched also show the mental condition of the person. Hands in pocket
also shows disrespect in different cultures. For example, sitting with crossed legs is considered offensive
in Ghana and Turkey.
Facial Expressions
Face shows feelings, attitudes and emotions. The degree of facial expressions are determined by cultures.
People from United States show emotions more than their Asian counterparts.
Facial expressions are shown to be similar all over the world, but people from different cultures do not
show it in public. The meanings of these are commonly acknowledged everywhere. Too much expression
is taken to be shallow in some places whereas in some it is taken as being weak.
Paralanguage
How we talk also constitutes of what we communicate. For example, vocal tones, volume, rhythm, pitch,
etc. speak more than what words express. Asian people control themselves from shouting as they are
taught not to from childhood.
They are known as vocal qualifiers. Vocal characterizations like crying, whining, yelling, etc. change the
meaning of the message. Giggling is taken as a bad gesture in some cultures. Many other emotions are
shown by vocal differences while all of them are included in paralanguage.
People from different cultures have different tolerance for physical distance between people. In Middle
Eastern culture people like to go near to others to talk while in others people might get afraid if anybody
does so.
Even Europeans and Americans do not have that much acceptance on the breach of physical distance and
less acceptance for it among Asians. People have specific personal space which they do not want
intruded. In some cultures, even close physical contact between strangers is acceptable.
COMMUNICATION MODELS
Aristotle’s Model
OCCASION
Created at around 5 B.C wherein public speeches and debates are usually conducted.
Speaker plays an active role in the process.
Speaker adjusts the message according to the audience and occasion to achieve a
desirable effect.
Example is the speech made by Abraham Lincoln in response to the attack made in the
Pearl Harbor in which the audience is the US Congress and the effect was to persuade
them to declare war on Japan.
National Communication Association (NCA) laid out principles to have or achieve Ethical
Communication.
People whenever they write or speak should practice cultural sensitivity and
should use a bias-free language. In doing such means an awareness of cultural differences
and similarities between people do exist. There are five considerations in becoming a
culturally sensitive communicator.
Social Class
-Classism is a form of discrimination against people based on their social
class.
-Example of a bias language against class is the term “White Trash” or
“White Breed”. This is used to refer to the people who live in the rural areas of
Southern U.S. who also came from a lower social class in America.
-In Philippine context, calling people as jologs or jejemons because of
their way of style and speaking is another example of a bias language and
insensitive communicator.
-Another example is using the terms squatters and underclass to refer to
poor people. Informal settlers and less-privileged are the terms one should use so
as to be culturally sensitive.
Age
-Ageism refers to the discrimination and prejudice against people because
of their age.
-In referring to persons in general, one should be cautious on how these
people preferred to be called. Do they wish to be called “Senior Citizens” or
Older People” or do the young people preferred to be called as teenagers, youth or
young people?
-One should also refer to girls who are 18 years old and above as lady or
woman for the terms “girls” may sound childish to them. Same situation goes for
the boys.
Disability
-Discrimination arises in this area because of lack of awareness and
understanding of certain terms regarding disabilities.
-In referring to persons with disabilities, one should favor to use an
identity-first language which means one should focus more on the identity not on
the person’s disability/ies.
-Example is when you refer to the “blind students” as “visually impaired
students”, “persons with HIV rather than “HIV victims”, “not typical” for those
persons which we usually refer to as “abnormal”.